Parents call Meta's $17 billion settlement insufficient, urge Congress to act

Parent activists argue that Meta's $17 billion settlement in a lawsuit over child social-media addiction falls far short of what is needed to protect young users. Cheryl Brown, whose daughter died after experiencing cyberbullying and sexual harassment, told a news outlet that while the settlement includes some changes, it is "peanuts in the scheme of things" and does not bring back children who have been harmed. Brown noted positive steps such as a ban on users under 13 accessing Meta platforms and a temporary shutdown of Instagram for teens, but said the measures focus mainly on parental tools rather than altering how the platforms engage with children.

Brown and other parents have organized under the group ParentsSOS to lobby for the Kids Online Safety Act (KOSA), legislation they say offers broader safeguards. The bill passed the Senate with bipartisan support last year but has not yet cleared the House, which Brown described as "asinine." She urged Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to support the reform, citing reports that he had previously expressed a preference for congressional action before the lawsuit was filed.

The activists contend that further action is needed to address what they view as a pervasive, preventable problem affecting children online.